Camille Alston

Camille Alston

Camille Alston will become a teacher, and she knows Elizabeth City State University is the right place to pursue that dream. Attending ECSU is also a legacy for the rising junior from Raleigh.

“I chose ECSU because my mom and dad did,” said Alston. “They graduated in 1999 and 2000. They loved it and brought my brother and me here almost every year when were in elementary school. They have done well so why not follow in their footsteps and become a Viking and continue the legacy?”

Alston says she is working toward a degree in education so she can work with children, beginning as a Kindergarten teacher. It’s the first part of a journey after college she hopes will take her through graduate school and onto becoming a university professor, “Teaching students how to become great teachers of the next generation.”

Alston says ECSU has been a positive influence on her, and the perfect place for her to pursue a degree. The classes are small, she says, and relationships she’s forged with professors and fellow students have given her a great deal of inspiration.

“There’s upper classmen who want you to be successful so they will help tutor you in any subject,” said Alston. “ECSU is a great environment to produce good grades. My goals are the help the campus as best I can and to keep Viking Pride alive.”

Her time at ECSU has been “eye-opening” and has taught her a great deal about herself. She says her time as a student has taught her how to handle situations life has presented to her.

“It has been a lot of fun, hard work, fun, and hard work,” she said. “I have stayed active which I think the key to Viking Pride. The more you are involved in, the more love and passion you have for everything the university has to offer.”

Alston says if you’re an incoming freshman, you should remember to have fun while you’re at school. She says to experience something you’ve never experienced, and meet as many people as you can while you’re on campus.

“You don’t ever want to say, ‘awe, man, I wish I did this and joined that when I was in college,’” said Alston. “Just go ahead and do it.”

While Alston keeps busy with campus life, she also knows why she’s attending ECSU. Her education is a priority and as she prepares for her junior year, she’s preparing for her career as well.

“I am currently studying for my Praxis (teaching test) to become a teacher,” she said. “I would like to have my certifications before I start my junior year so that I can start substituting at schools and building my portfolio so that when I graduate, I will be equipped to be the best Kindergarten teacher that ECSU has produced.”